The Press., 1887-02-24
Issued Every ThursdayEVGning.
LOCAL TOPICs-PExN'D AND sCIssORED
STAFFORD TOPICS.

the public treasury, and going to swell the tax list that do not confer so general and widespread benefit as comes to the com munity' from the work of the Temple of Il Honor and the w. O. T. U. of this village, purely as a work of love. When a man Is rescned from a life of easy spendthrift, in- diligence in liquors, and the growing thraldom of habits sure to end in swelling the number of the towns pensioners, aud is changed from a non-producer, or one who works only from necessity, into clear-headed, active member of society, whose statues of intelligence and financial standing Is growing day by day, the pub- lie at large, as we'll as the individual aud his family, are gathers. It is everything to save him from tippling, to convert him from habitue of the grog shop, an asso- ciate of the enemies of society of good morals and education, into good citizen, Interested in religion, education, and the legitimate business prosperity of the com munity.
 Do people give thought, as they should, to the makeup of the class of boys who avail of the reading room provided by the W. 0. T. U? There are exceptions, but the average boy found there is not vi- cious lad, though he might easily grow in- to one. He would drift into the saloon through it's open door, its welcome for all who have money to waste, it's studied at tractiveness for the lounger who hae a long evening on his hands, and perhaps h little change In his pocket, that he is likely not to carry out with him. Often he goes there because there is no other place, and if he goes the habit of going grows strong CT. Even if he has sense of all this, what is he to do, with long winter evening on his hands, mo home save a factory Boarding house, perhaps, or worse? Our public li- brary helps him if he has comfortable place to read in, but often he has not. If such a one spends his evenings in the place provided by the W. o. T. U., he is under better influences while there, and if he is not made better, he is certainly for the time being stopped from growing worse, as he certainly would be were he spending the same time in the saloon, and if he has tendency to go right, all that he will there find will be encouraging to that tend ency.
 The w. O. T. U. need help. Their expenses of rent have been increased Their quarters have been sought for by a party who desired to establish there "tem- perance billiard rooms" Result, that while the owner of the building was not inclined to turn out the ladies, nor to ex- act the amount of rent offered by the other party, still there has been an increase of rent. To meet this the ladies are obliged to appeal to the public anew, Every em- ployer, every parent, should feel the force of the argument, in fact, should argue the case with themselves, end if each acts in accordance with the power of reasoning the response will be ample. Think this 1 oHers doaa't-~ wait to --be-l.borea- with, but labor with yourself. H yon haven't boy | o1,a f,Nf faa inta in all ha same you have common interest in the rising generation, and share of responsi- bility for their right training.
 -"Oronoco Block" inherits its name from Oronoco House, very little hotel which formerly stood on it's site, just large enough to hold a bar-room and furnish a home for the bartender, and very little more. Later the building was enlarged into fair sized boarding house, but always had one or more bars kept on the premises. It was then styled the Am erican Bouse' In clearing up the debris of its ruins some ingenious devices came to light which its occupants had used in evasion of the popular verdict against rum selling in the borough. When the present fine block was erected the owners very naturally perpetuated the name which had became street landmark, and called 1t Oronoco Block. 1t is said that when the bar-room was first established, and it was desired to dignify it by the name of hotel, there was considerable discussion as to what name should be given. it. One Fday the proprietor returned from New London and announced that he had se- lected a name. It contained seven letters, he said, four of them were O's. He dis closed no more at the time, giving the in- oh fn "a Ia one guessed 1t.
 Harmony Temple of Honor, which has just celebrated it's 8th anniversary, was instituted Feb. 9th, 1879, and has a right to mark the mile stones of its pro- gress, standing second to none in the state iu it's record of good work and strong, viz orous membership. It proudly points to examples of its saving power in the men whom it has drawn in and sustained in ef- forts after better life. Of23 charter mem bers only two, Alonzo l.. Howard and John O. Cleaveland are now members, though several are yet residents of the borough. The first w. o. was Joshua Hinchclif. The early days of the temple were not encouraging. The membership E was small, 1t was period of ebb tide of temperance sentiment, aud the necessary expenses of starting were burdensome in the then small membership. The assem- ply hall was in the attic in the old War ren block. The temple had got together needed furniture to make attractive and comfortable quarters, when in 1882 the building was burned, the temple losing everything, and with no insurance. The fire came just as the members were in a Respondent mood, there having been for a time no accessions to their numbers, 8 steady current of expenditures with de- } pleted treasury. The members who had q been most Respondent took this time to withdraw, saying that it was useless to try to revlve the temple. But it proved an in- stance of the survival of the httest Nine energetic members got together at meet ing for consultations The first vote pass ed was declaration that the temple still lived.
 The list of those present at this declara- tion of survival, so far as we get it, and probably acomplete one, is A. L. Howard, J. O. Oleaveland,J. M Leach, T.G. Hodg. son, B. R. Marsd4le, A. l., Burdon, H. M. Benton, O. G. Ellis, and Horace Towne. The paraphanalia of the defunct South Coventry temple was bought at less than half its first cost, Msssrs. Leach and Bur. don advancing the money.
 Temporary quarters were taken in the Rockwell block A section of Junior Tenn. plars had been instituted year or two be- fore. and from this came material to rein-